XINJIANG, 6th July, 2023 (WAM) -- The 2,712 km railway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur region, which encircles the Taklamakan, China's largest desert, has become a catalyst for the economic and social development of southern Xinjiang. The railway, the world's first desert rail loop line, was completed after the new Hotan-Ruoqiang rail line was linked with the Ruoqiang-Korla section of the Golmud-Korla railway line, and the Korla-Kashgar and Kashgar-Hotan sections of the southern Xinjiang rail line in June last year, reported People's Daily Online. The railway connects multiple places in five prefectures in southern Xinjiang and has provided railway services to remote cities for the first time, which injected new life into the region, paving the way for improved trade, job opportunities, and a better future for its residents. The completion of this railway has brought numerous benefits to the region. Freight transport, previously hindered by arduous conditions, has been significantly enhanced. Huang Wei, a coal mining company's general manager in Xinjiang, highlighted the positive impact on his business, noting that transporting cargo to Tibet used to take over ten days. However, with the Golmud-Korla railway line now in operation as part of the loop line, transportation time has drastically reduced, broadening the sales channels for his products. The Golmud-Korla railway line, a crucial section of the loop line, handles over 95 percent of the cargo in southern Xinjiang. Originally connecting Qinghai province and Tibet autonomous region, it has expanded its reach to link Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces. This growth has significantly contributed to the economic development of Western China. The loop line has opened up new opportunities for trade and commerce, facilitating the swift transportation of goods. Hotan's carpets, Kashgar's plums, and Aksu's apples are now transported much faster to various parts of China. The loop line's operation has seen freight transport centres in Korla and Kashgar ship nearly 33.5 million tons of cargo by mid-June. Moreover, the loop line has brought railway services to previously inaccessible regions such as Lop, Qira, Yutian, Minfeng, and Qiemo, benefiting the residents of various ethnic groups. Commuting has become more convenient, as exemplified by Mihray Mesawur, a Train 5818 attendant who can now reach her workplace in Urumqi using the new rail route. The loop line's construction has considered challenging environmental conditions, such as sandstorms, with innovative measures like grass grids and a green corridor along the tracks to protect the railway and improve the ecological balance in the surrounding areas.
Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)